Football: CU Buffs feel new energy from coaching staff

The optimism, the tone, the message were all the same as previous years Monday by veteran members of the Colorado football program as they reported for training camp.

In 2010, guys like Nate Solder, Jimmy Smith and Scotty McKnight talked on the first day of organized team activities about turning around a struggling program. In 2011, it was Tyler Hansen, Rodney Stewart and Ryan Miller. Last year, Jon Major, Ray Polk and Nick Kasa took their turn.

By November of each of those seasons, the hope and optimism of reporting day had faded to disappointment or desperation or even depression.

So why should fans of the silver, black and gold believe this year and this team will finally get over the hump or at least turn things back in a positive direction?

"I'd have to say we're excited to work with this new coaching staff," senior safety Parker Orms said. "It seems like that just brought a whole different energy. We can't dwell on the past. We've got to move forward. I feel like guys don't want that to happen. I mean, no one wants it to happen at any school around the nation, but it's been happening here for the past few years and we really don't want it to happen again."

To a man, veterans say they believe this offseason was collectively the best the program has had in recent years, but that too is nothing new to the ears of diehard Buffs fans and media members who cover the team.

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The reality it will be at least a month or two before we know if Monday was the start of something different, a true change in course, or if it was just more wishful thinking by players who are sick of losing.

"I feel like everybody is focused," running back Christian Powell said. "We're just tired of the Colorado that it appears to be, this team that goes out and loses every year. We're trying to turn that around and I feel that is what we're going to do."

"It's our mindset, our mentality. It's like enough is enough, you know? So we're going to go out and make a change to that."

Another departure

CU coach Mike MacIntyre dismissed defensive lineman Kory Rasmussen from the team prior to camp for "not complying with team policies and rules."

Rasmussen redshirted last season after joining the program as a part of the 2012 recruiting class. He is the fourth member of that class, the only full class recruited by former coach Jon Embree, to be dismissed in the past two weeks.

CU reported a total of 105 players reported Monday for team meetings and a team dinner.

Lopez commits

CU coaches received the ninth commitment of the 2014 class Monday evening from defensive tackle Eddy Lopez, a product of Coronado High School in El Paso, Texas, Rivals.com reported.

Lopez attended a camp at CU earlier this summer. He did not have a profile on Rivals prior to Monday and is not rated there. CU is hoping to sign at least 22 recruits in the 2014 class.

Scholarship earned

MacIntyre informed tight end Alex Wood that he had earned a scholarship for his senior season through his work on and off the field in the spring and summer. Wood had previously been on scholarship in his career but was listed as a walk-on this summer.

Notable

The Pac-12 Network will air 30-minute shows from each school's training camp this month. The series is simply titled "Pac-12 Football Training Camp." The Colorado edition will be filmed Thursday and will air for the first time at 8 p.m. (MDT) on Sunday. ... Defensive end Chidera Uzo-Diribe was named to the Hendricks Award watch list Monday. The award is given annually to the nation's best defensive end. Uzo-Diribe is one of seven Buffs on preseason watch lists for various awards. He previously was named to the Bednarik Award watch list. The Bednarik Award is given annually to the nation's best overall defensive player.